Editing Development Components 

Changing a DC usually consists of these steps:

·        Selecting the appropriate perspective

·        Synchronizing the files of the DC in the local file system with the Design Time Repository

·        Making the change known to the repository (check out)

·        Editing the source files of the component

·        Locally building the component

·        Copying the changes into the repository (check in)

You use this procedure in all scenarios in which you work with the component model:

·        Scenario 2: Development with Components

·        Scenario 2+: Development with a Track

·        Scenario 3: Layered Development

Prerequisites

The software component has a changeable state.

Note that the context menu of a DC looks differently, depending on whether the DC is stored as a source or as an archive. For example, it makes no sense to create a project for a DC that is stored as an archive. This distinction applies only for scenarios 2+ and 3, in which the Component Build Service is used and in which you distinguish between active and inactive states of DCs.

You have imported a development configuration and logged on to the development infrastructure.

Procedure

Selecting the Appropriate Perspective

You edit a component in the perspective that corresponds to its type.

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       1.      Select the appropriate perspective from the menu under Window à Open Perspective à Other or click the corresponding icon on the left margin of the current perspective.

For example, if the component is of type Web Dynpro, you edit it in the Web Dynpro perspective. If it is of type J2EE, then edit it in the J2EE Development perspective, and so on.

However, a DC will appear in one of these perspectives only, if a project has been created for this DC before.

Additionally, every project also appears in the Resource perspective .

Synchronizing the Files of the Component in the Local File System

Either you must synchronize the component or - if none exists - create a project for it. For more information, see Synchronizing a DC in a Local File System.

Checking Out the Files for Changing

After the synchronization, the files are stored read-only on the local file system. Before you can change individual files of this component, you must check them out for editing.

This step is not necessary, if you newly created the project.

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       1.      To check out a file or folder, navigate to the desired file or folder in the tree.

       2.      In the context menu, choose DTR ® Edit.

 

A dialog window appears where you can select or create an activity.

You need an activity to combine changes that belong together. Therefore, select only suitable activities (of the same DC) for your changes or, if you cannot find one, create a new activity. As long as an activity has not been checked in, it is in an “open” state, and you can add other files to it.

       3.      Select an activity or create a new one.

       4.      To assign your file(s) to this activity, choose OK.

If you mistakenly assigned versions to a particular activity, there are two options to change this, as long as the activity is still open, that is, not checked in.

§         Move individual versions to another (newly created) activity.

§         Rename the activity when you check it in – in case, only the activity name was misleading and the activity contains only versions that belong together.

Result

Your files can now be changed in the local file system.

For more information on changing a component, see Editing the Source Files of the Component.